Parsing Sen. Alesi (Updated)

I just got off the phone with Sen. Jim Alesi, who is waiting to enter yet another meeting with Gov. Andrew Cuomo on same-sex marriage. He told me the following:

“As I’ve said, I already know what direction I’m taking. I already know what the outcome is. So this is more of a strategy meeting than anything else….I’ve probably told you more than enough now, haven’t I?”

That sounds like a man leaning toward “yes” to me. I mean, why would you strategize with the guy leading the charge on the effort to legalize same-sex marriage if you planned on voting “no”?

UPDATE: Alesi, just before going in to see Cuomo told reporters: “If the bill comes to the floor the way that I’d like to see it, I would support it.” He did not clarify. Cuomo said during his press conference with the Senate Democrats that he’s open to changes to the 2009 bill that failed, but the bill he would send to the Legislature would look mostly the same – if he sends it. He said he would discuss that and the timing of the vote with the advocates.

Alesi, a Rochester-area Republican, has long been speculated to be the most gettable “yes” vote on a yet-to-be-introduced bill that would let gay couples legally wed in New York.

Exhibit A: His tortured performance prior to voting “no” – after some prodding by Sen. Marty Golden – when the measure failed back in 2009.

Alesi has been playing his cards very close to the vest for weeks now. He told the Wall Street Journal’s Jacob Gershman that he has prayed with advocates on both sides of this issue, adding: “They were both praying at the end of the day to God -I’m assuming it was the same God – that he would direct me to make the right choice.”

Alesi was standing with former Senate GOP spokesman John McArdle when I spoke to him. McArdle, as you’ll recall, is part of a team lobbying working on messaging/communications with Republicans on this issue.

(I’m reminded that McArdle technically can’t lobby, thanks to the two-year ban on former legislative aides formally appearing before the members they used to serve).